New Article: Klein & Shimoni-Hershkoviz, Privatization and Competition in the Education System

Klein, Joseph, and Lizi Shimoni-Hershkoviz. “The Contribution of Privatization and Competition in the Education System to the Development of an Informal Management Culture in Schools. A Case Study in Israel.” International Journal of Educational Management 30.4 (2016).

 

URL: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/IJEM-08-2014-0113

 

Abstract

Regulation and privatization of education systems has led to a “league standing” mentality regarding school achievements. The present study examines how school principals deal with the pressures of competition and achievements while aspiring to imbue pupils with values and a broad education. 12 high school principals were interviewed about external demands imposed on them, their educational policy and modes of operation. Publicly, school supervisors advocate a balance between core studies and education for values and enrichment. Informally they pressure principals to allocate maximal resources to preparing for high risk tests at the expense of other educational activities. School administrators and teachers, while dissatisfied with this approach, maintain a covert informal culture that concentrates mainly on external test achievements, which contrasts to their public value-rich educational vision, and undertake actions that raise educational, management and ethical questions. Placing the schools’ informal culture on the research agenda will increase institutional transparency and may contribute to a greater correspondence between school visions advocating knowledge and values, and the policy actually implemented. Raising this subject for discussion may contribute to a demand for more transparency in how schools allocate their resources. It may also help to increase the correspondence between the values and vision promulgated by schools and the educational policy they actually implement.

 

 

 

New Article: Arar & Massry-Herzllah , Motivation to Teach: The Case of Arab Teachers in Israel

Arar, Khalid Husny, and Asmahan Massry-Herzllah. “Motivation to Teach: The Case of Arab Teachers in Israel.” Educational Studies (early view; online first).

 

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03055698.2015.1127136

 

Extract

This paper describes an attempt to identify factors influencing teachers’ motivation in the Arab education system. In-depth interviews with 10 school principals, 15 teachers and 3 counsellors, yielded three themes influencing Arab teachers’ motivation: (1) Arab culture, (2) the school climate and (3) government policies. Arab teachers try to meet both government requirements and the minority Arab society’s expectations that they will shape students’ academic achievements, national identity and culture. Deficient resources and Arab principals’ detached management styles augment the difficulty, negatively influencing teachers’ motivation. Suggestions are given to improve government policies and Arab principals’ work and thus to enhance teachers’ motivation.

 

 

 

New Article: Ayalon, Student Co-mentoring in Israeli and American Universities

Ayalon, Aram. “Student Co-mentoring in Israeli and American Universities: Promoting Mutual Academic Success.” In Global Co-Mentoring Networks in Higher Education. Politics, Policies, and Practices (ed. B. Gloria Guzmán Johannessen; Cham: Springer, 2016): 187-202.

 

 

URL: dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27508-6_11

 

Abstract

This chapter describes a peer mentoring approach that was incorporated in two courses that were at the beginning and at the end stages of students’ higher education programs: Undergraduate freshmen and doctoral students. With the goal of providing students with academic and social support using student-to-student co-mentoring experiences, the students were divided into dyads or triads. The students were asked to function both as mentors and mentees throughout an academic semester with the purpose of engaging them in co-mentoring to better meet the challenges faced, either in transitioning from high school to college or in furthering the advancement in their doctoral programs. Students enjoyed the meaningful help received and given as co-mentors and found this opportunity fulfilling. The results suggest that effective mentors not necessarily need to be more experienced or more knowledgeable than their mentees as the research suggests, but a more important aspect of effective mentoring might be providing the opportunity for persons to help others, especially those who are in similar predicaments.